Music of Death and New Creation - Experiences in the World of Balinese Gamelan Beleganjur

For centuries the gamelan beleganjur percussion orchestra has been an indispensable part of political, social, and spiritual life on the island of Bali. Traditionally associated with warfare and rituals for the dead, the music has recently given rise to an exciting new musical style featured in contests that are attended by thousands. Ethnomusicologist Michael Bakan draws us into these intensely competitive events, in which political corruption, conflicting notions of identity, and irrepressible creativity rupture the smooth surface of cultural order.
Building from his own experiences as a beleganjur drummer, Bakan also takes us inside a distant musical world and into the lives of musicians connecting across vast cultural divides. Rich with musical examples, photographs, and an accompanying compact disc, "Music of Death and New Creation" is an unprecedented exploration of how music embodies and shapes life in contemporary Indonesia and beyond.

Summary

Building from his experiences as a Balinese beleganjur drummer, the author presents the lives of the musicians who connect across vast cultural divides. The text examines the competitive events, where political corruption and conflicting notions of identity rupture the surface of cultural order.

Product details

• Authors: Michael B. Bakan
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.12.1999
• EAN: 9780226034881
• ISBN: 978-0-226-03488-1
• No. of pages: 407
• Dimensions: 228 mm x 152 mm x 30 mm
• Weight: 598 g
• Series: Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology; Chicago Studies in Ethnomusico; Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology; Chicago Studies in Ethnomusico; Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology CSE (CHUP); Chicago Studies in Ethnomusicology CSE
• Subject: Humanities, art, music > Music > Music theory